Director John McTiernan Headed To Prison

UPDATE: Die Hard director John McTiernan had already pleaded guilty in July after being convicted of lying in the Anthony Pellicano wiretapping and racketeering scandal that enveloped Hollywood. His one-year federal prison term was handed down this morning at a sentencing hearing presided over by the same judge he lied to, U.S. District Judge Dale Fischer. The 59-year-old McTiernan had lied to the feds in 2006 about his association with P.I.-to-the-stars Pellicano and the wiretapping of movie producer Chuck Roven while the filmmakers were shooting 2002’s Rollerball. According to news reports, Fischer said McTiernan should have received an even harsher sentence than the year recommended by prosecutors because he didn’t accept responsibility for his actions. “The defendant doesn’t think the law applies to him,” Fischer said in court today. McTiernan, whose film credits include the original Predator and The Hunt for Red October and The Thomas Crown Affair remake, pleaded guilty in July to two counts of making false statements to the FBI and one one count of perjury to the federal judge while trying to withdraw a guilty plea. Fischer also ordered McTiernan to pay a $100,000 fine and serve three years probation. He will remain free on bond pending an appeal. His attorneys said the conditional plea agreement allows their client to challenge certain pretrial rulings made by Fischer.

Pellicano was convicted in 2008 of wiretapping Charles Roven for McTiernan and of bugging the phones of celebrities and others to get information for clients. Pellicano was found guilty on 76 of 77 counts related to racketeering, wiretapping, invasion of privacy, and conspiracy, and  sentenced to 15 years in prison.

In June, McTiernan lost a bid to suppress evidence in his case when Fischer denied McTiernan’s request to exclude a telephone conversation Pellicano recorded in which the two men discussed wiretapping Roven in exchange for $50,000. Then McTiernan lied to FBI agents about paying Pellicano $50,000 to eavesdrop on Roven’s phone. FThe director then pleaded guilty to perjury. And Fischer originally sentenced McTiernan in 2007 to 4 months in prison after denying his motion to withdraw his guilty plea. But the U.S. Court of Appeals in San Francisco in 2008 said McTiernan should get a new hearing. So last year he was allowed to withdraw his guilty plea because his previous lawyer hadn’t told him he could have tried to suppress the incriminating recording as evidence. So now the director is going to jail.